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Charleston's Good Morning Lowcountry column has filled the top half of Page 2B in The Post and Courier every day since its inception in 2000. GMLc celebrates life in a particular place (the South Carolina Lowcountry) with a particular voice and a particular perspective: That the world is a fascinating place, but not until after we've had our coffee.

July 30, 2007

Allergies and arguments

Fellow bloggers, forgive me for not posting. I have a bad case of overwrite ... writing 7 columns a week for the paper. I spent all weekend inside with a gigantic allergy attack. Zyrtec knocked it back ... finally ... but it also knocked me out. What is it I'm allergic to? Dust from the ceiling-tile replacement project and painting going on in the newsroom? New-mown grass? The marsh (again)? I don't know.

Elsa and I have just been talking about the letters and e-mails she and we get here at The P&C that are full of vitriol, conspiracy theories, hatred and venom. Elsa gets these types of letters and phone calls even from fans of B.C. (the comic strip)! I have to ask: Is that all people care about? Don't they have anything else to do? What's up with all the angry, control-freaks among us? We often can't believe people are so passionate, defiant and combative, about the stupidest topics. On important topics of the day, they're often just the same. It's as if they are spoiling for a fight and for the chance to convince the rest of the world that they are right ... about something, anything. It's as if citizens have lost the perspective that free speech and opinion is supposed to give us in this country: that others have rights to their own beliefs, opinions, etc., and that those beliefs, opinions, etc. don't necessarily threaten yours. This isn't just a why-can't-we-all-just-get-along point. I'm suggesting that reason be injected into expression.

GMLc suggests that these folks let go of their anger, paranoia and need for control. Drink some tea, lie in a hammock, enjoy the Lowcountry summer, relax. You'll feel better. And you'll realize that other people and their likes and dislikes are not the problem. Your problem is how you are choosing to react to them.